Photo exhibition chronicles Taiwan youths' hiking trips in mainland

TAIPEI, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- A photography exhibition, featuring images captured by Taiwan university students during their hikes in the southwestern regions of the mainland, kicked off in Taipei on Sunday.

These students participated in an annual cross-Strait photography activity in early July, trekking along the ancient Tea Horse Road -- a network of caravan routes that can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907) and reached as far as India, West Asia and East Africa.

The photographs on display depict the breathtaking landscapes along the route as well as the folk culture of minority ethnic groups residing in the mountainous regions of the Chinese mainland, such as Yunnan and Tibet.

Liu Tzu-Chun, an exchange student from Taiwan at Nanjing University on the mainland, expressed her delight at participating in the activity. "It was incredible to see exactly what I had learned in my history and geography textbooks right before my eyes. I am grateful for the opportunity to visit the local attractions and experience the local culture, which is also a reason why I came to the mainland as an exchange student," she said.

The cross-Strait photography exercise was held after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the past six years, more than 100 students from both sides of the Strait have set foot on the Tea Horse Road.

"It is hoped that the activity would continue and last for at least 10 years, enabling young people from both sides of the Strait to jointly observe and document the changes occurring in the region," said Kevin Tsai, head of a cultural exchange organization in Taiwan which is the organizer of the exhibition.